The Slow Death of Hardware Design
Blog 3/3/2015 Post a commentIt won't be too much longer and hardware design, as we used to know it, will be remembered alongside the slide rule and the Karnaugh map. You will need to move beyond those familiar bits and bytes into the new world of software centric design.

Solar Shingles Poised As Next Renewable Trend
Blog 3/3/2015 5 commentsPeople who want to take advantage of solar energy in their homes no longer need to install a bolt-on solar-panel system atop their houses -- they can integrate solar-energy-harvesting shingles directing into an existing or new roof instead.

Not Even Air-Gapped Computers are Secure
Blog 3/2/2015 14 commentsKaspersky Labs indicated at its February meeting that cyber attacks are far more sophisticated than previous thought. It turns out even air-gapping (disconnecting computers from the Internet to protect against cyber intrusion) isn’t a foolproof way to avoid getting hacked. And Kaspersky implied the NSA is the smartest attacker.

A Look at Job Prospects During Engineers Week
Blog 2/27/2015 2 commentsAre you being paid enough? Do you want a better job? According to a recent survey Manpower released just before Engineers Week, employers and engineers don't see eye-to-eye about the state of US engineers' skills and experience.

'Engineering Family Day' Shows Kids Fun, Importance of Tech
Blog 2/27/2015 1 commentTomorrow is Discover Engineering Family Day at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. The day will feature specialized events aimed at introducing kids ages 4 to 12 to engineering and technology, giving many of them their first introduction to technology and its relevance.

National Engineers Week Gives Future Technologists an Edge
Blog 2/25/2015 7 commentsIt’s National Engineers Week and host DiscoverE -- an arm of the National Society of Professional Engineers -- and other organizations with a vested interest in the field are not forgetting to include the next generation of aspiring and future engineers as part of the festivities.

5 Trends to Watch at Mobile World Congress
Blog 2/25/2015 1 commentCES (the Consumer Electronics Show) may get all the mainstream press attention, but as many engineers know, a notable amount of important industry action also takes place each spring at MWC, the Mobile World Congress conference.

DiscoverE Encourages Girls to Find their Inner Engineer
Blog 2/25/2015 7 commentsThere is still a significant gender gap in engineering and other STEM fields, but the organization sponsoring Engineers Week is trying to change that. Tomorrow is Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, sponsored by DiscoverE, an arm of the National Society of Professional Engineers.

FAA Drone Draft Has Parrot Talking
Blog 2/24/2015 2 commentsWhen the Federal Aviation Administration released draft regulations for small commercial-use drones, much of the initial reaction from those living in the US leaned negative, largely because most companies seeking to profit from drones have a vested interest in minimum oversight.

The Impact of the Maker Movement
Blog 2/24/2015 Post a commentThe Maker movement is bringing engineering into the mainstream. Makers around the world are inspiring each other to create (or “make”) smart gadgets, robotic gizmos, autonomous drones, and wearable devices. These innovations are no longer monopolized by multimillion dollar companies.

Welcome to National Engineers Week
Blog 2/23/2015 1 commentThrough this week, DiscoverE will present National Engineers Week, a series of programs around the country that are designed to raise awareness of the importance of engineering.

3 Secrets to Becoming 'Awesomely, Amazingly, World-Class Excellent'
Blog 2/23/2015 4 commentsData from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that average Americans between the ages of 25 and 55 spend 30% of their lifetimes working weekends on top of already heavily loaded work weeks. In total, Americans spend almost three times the amount of waking hours at work than at home. But what do we get as a result of all this overachievement?

Adhesives Get Tougher, Stronger, and More Versatile
Blog 2/20/2015 1 commentEngineers have more to pick from performance-wise when it comes to both structural and non-structural adhesives for many industries. New technologies for joining dissimilar materials can also reduce the need for fasteners and improve welds.

H-1B Visas: What’s Your Take?
Blog 2/18/2015 29 commentsH-1B visas are one of the most controversial issues in the engineering community. According to many companies, these visas (which allow for temporary employment of high-skilled foreign workers) are needed to address the so-called “skills gap.”

10 Must-Have Skills for Embedded Engineers
Blog 2/17/2015 2 commentsFrom getting familiar with open source software to developing apps, industry professionals are urging embedded engineers to get out of their comfort zone and acquire new skills to stay relevant.

Want to Live in a Wind Turbine?
Blog 2/16/2015 29 commentsEver look at the base structure of wind turbines and think it would be a cool place to live? Probably not, but a German designer from Dusseldorf has, and developed a concept to use that space to build apartments sustained by electricity generated by the turbines themselves.

IIoT Blooms with Applications and Possibilities
Blog 2/11/2015 3 commentsMass customization has already arrived. Buildings only light rooms when people are present. The farm soil will tell you when it needs water -- in fact, it will water itself. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is exploding with possibilities, and the deployment is now, not is some highly developed future.

A few weeks ago, Ford Motor Co. quietly announced that it was rolling out a new wrinkle to the powerful safety feature called stability control, adding even more lifesaving potential to a technology that has already been very successful.

It won't be too much longer and hardware design, as we used to know it, will be remembered alongside the slide rule and the Karnaugh map. You will need to move beyond those familiar bits and bytes into the new world of software centric design.

People who want to take advantage of solar energy in their homes no longer need to install a bolt-on solar-panel system atop their houses -- they can integrate solar-energy-harvesting shingles directing into an existing or new roof instead.

Focus on Fundamentals consists of 45-minute on-line classes that cover a host of technologies. You learn without leaving the comfort of your desk. All classes are taught by subject-matter experts and all are archived. So if you can't attend live, attend at your convenience.